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Chapter 35
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 36
Julian returned to Grandview Manor late at night. As his car rolled to a stop, he looked up at the second-floor master bedroom.The lights were already out.He stared into the darkness for a moment, then unfastened his seatbelt and stepped out of the car.Blair, who was on night duty, came forward, looking somewhat surprised. "Mr. Ziegler, you're back? Mrs. Ziegler just went to bed. Would you like a late-night snack?"Julian answered indifferently, "A bowl of instant noodles will do."Blair was pleased for Willow that Julian had chosen to return home. Rubbing her hands together, she headed for the kitchen.Julian shrugged off his coat and tossed it over the back of the couch. While waiting for his meal, he picked up his phone to handle a few work emails. But before long, he found himself scrolling through his photo gallery instead.Blair returned with the noodles. She stole a glance at the screen and said with a smile, "Mrs. Ziegler looks even more beautiful than before."Julia
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 37
In the bathroom, Willow splashed cold water on her face, trying to cool her overheated skin.She stared at her reflection in the mirror, momentarily dazed.The woman looking back at her felt almost unfamiliar. Her hair was tousled, her soft skin was nearly glowing, and her lips were slightly swollen from Julian's kisses.Willow reached up and touched her face. Was this really her?…Since then, life at Grandview Manor turned out to be better than she had expected.Julian had kept his promise. Willow received the 500 million dollars in cash, along with a 5% stake in Nebula Group. His decision caused an uproar within the Ziegler family. Even his parents couldn't understand it.But Julian bore the weight of it all.He treated Willow well—too well. He didn't force her to sleep with him, as if giving her time to adjust.He often called to have meals with her, though sometimes he would break his promises.Willow never asked where he went or who he was with. Just as they had agreed
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 38
Being perceptive, Esther led the styling team out, leaving the spacious room to just Julian and Willow.Julian turned Willow around, his palm pressing gently against her cheek. He traced over her skin with slow, deliberate strokes. For the first time, he took the time to truly study her face."Are you cold?"His eyes locked onto hers, filled with a quiet intensity.Willow smiled faintly. "I'll wear a coat outside."Julian didn't let her go. His hands wandered to her waist, feeling the fabric against her skin.She looked beautiful tonight; so beautiful that he didn't want her stepping out of this room, especially not in front of other men.It had been a week since she returned, yet they hadn't truly become one. He had been holding back for too long, and now, the restraint was wearing thin.But Willow refused. She tilted her head back and gently closed her eyes. "You'll ruin the dress."Julian exhaled slowly, frustration flickering across his features.Without warning, he caugh
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 39
Catherine wanted to go over to Julian, but Nancy held her back."This isn't the place for jealousy," Nancy whispered. "Catherine, you need to know when to pick your battles."Catherine froze, her eyes welling up with tears.She longed for Julian's attention. But he didn't even glance at her. Instead, he held Willow's hand and exchanged pleasantries with Timothy and Heather. "Mr. Chapman, Mrs. Chapman."Timothy smiled warmly. "You're a lucky man, Julian."A wife's beauty was a husband's honor.Even Julian couldn't help but glance at Willow. A faint smile tugged at his lips.Heather reached for Willow's hand with genuine affection. "I heard you two have reconciled. I was so happy for you, but I didn't want to disturb you."Timothy wrapped an arm around Heather and chuckled. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let's not get in their way."He adored Heather, which naturally gave him a favorable impression of Willow. His tone was warm. In an effort to amuse Heather, he blurted ou
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 40
Willow stepped onto the terrace, catching both Charlie and Heather off guard.Given the situation, it was easy to guess that the two shared a past.The night breeze tousled Charlie's hair and lifted the hem of Heather's elegant dress. The delicate silk brushed against Willow's arm. It felt soft and smooth.After a brief silence, Heather's voice came out strained. "I'm not feeling well. Mrs. Ziegler, could you help me inside to rest?"Smiling, Willow nodded. "That's why I came. I've been worried about you."Heather felt a warmth in her heart. She gently patted Willow's hand. "Having you here makes me feel much better."Willow gave a soft smile and supported Heather as they left.Behind them, Charlie watched his former lover walk away. The thought that he wouldn't have another chance to speak with her like this pained him. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "I can give you everything he can."The words barely left his mouth before regret set in.Heather halted for a b
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 41
Willow heard those words for the second time tonight. A whirlwind of emotions surged within her.Just as she was about to speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase. A moment later, Julian appeared.In the blink of an eye, he was at her side.It was as if the fight from that night had never happened. He looked at Willow and Jeffrey and asked casually, "What are you two talking about?"Willow's voice was indifferent. "Just making small talk."Julian studied her intently, as if searching for something in her expression. After a pause, he smiled faintly. "Then let's get together another time. It's getting late. We should go."Before Willow could react, Julian had already taken her hand, his grip firm and unyielding.Under the bright lights, Jeffrey's expression turned ice-cold.Julian smirked as he led Willow past Jeffrey. When they brushed shoulders, Julian noticed Jeffrey's hand twitching inside his pocket. It seemed like he wanted to reach out to stop her.Julian
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 42
To Willow's surprise, Julian stopped.As he looked down at her, his Adam's apple bobbed, showing how hard he was suppressing his desires.After a long pause, he moved off her."Go wash up," he said.When Willow got up, her legs trembled. After stumbling into the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and was startled by her own disheveled state.In the bedroom, Julian turned over onto his side.After a few moments of steadying his breath, he reached for the nightstand drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He placed one between his lips. In the end, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window in the lounge, cracked it open slightly, and slowly smoked there.The soft glow of the lamp cast a mix of light and shadow across his face. His lashes formed delicate shadows under his eyes, making his chiseled features even more striking.His fingers trembled slightly as he flicked the ash. The faint blue-gray smoke curled upward before the night breeze carried it
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 43
Julian lay in bed, his gaze dark and unreadable.After a moment, he got up and walked into the bathroom. Willow was washing up.He stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. His voice was low as he said, "Let's wait another two years. I'll be 30 then. We can have a child after that. Didn't you always want to focus on your own things first?"Willow lifted her gaze to meet his in the mirror. For a long moment, she simply stared at him, as if seeing a stranger.Then, she smiled faintly. "What game are you playing now, Julian?"His chest tightened.He didn't answer. Instead, he picked her up and carried her to the floor-to-ceiling window, pressing kisses along her skin as the morning light spilled in.The white curtains swayed gently in the breeze.She was as soft as silk beneath his touch.…It was nearly noon when they finally came downstairs.Willow had plans to visit Grace. Today was the day Leonard would finalize the surgery
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 100
Dominic stepped out of the dimly lit detention center, feeling his heart ache with excruciating pain. A figure in deep red stood at the corner outside.It was Eleanor.Dominic had been expecting her.He walked up to her and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I need to thank you for saving the entire Ziegler family. Without your call, Willow would have lost her life, and the Zieglers' reputation would have crumbled."Beside him, Liam handed over a property deed.Dominic weighed the deed in his hand, carefully choosing his words. "Dexter's prison sentence is certain. As for your future, that's up to you. But as Dexter's elder, this is my token of appreciation."Dominic had gifted her a luxury apartment in Brindley—one worth over 100 million dollars.Eleanor refused to accept it. She had tears in her eyes as she said, "I truly love Dexter. I'm willing to wait for him to come out."Dominic felt deeply saddened. After a long silence, he rasped out, "That bastard doesn't deserve this from
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 99
In the early morning at Brindley First Hospital, Willow lay in a clean hospital room, still unconscious. Her face and body were covered in scrapes, and a large bruise had spread across her lower back.Fortunately, there were no severe internal injuries.The doctor called it a miracle.Julian took care of everything and sat by her bedside, waiting for Willow to wake up.Dominic walked in with a cane. When he saw Julian's expression, he sneered. "Acting all affectionate now—too bad no one appreciates it! Come outside with me."Julian glanced at Willow, wiped his face, and followed him out.Outside, Dominic looked at his most accomplished grandson with a stern expression. "Julian, as the CEO of Nebula, you weren't wrong. Canceling the contract would have led to thousands losing their jobs."But Julian, aside from being the CEO of Nebula, you are also Willow's husband. I know you have your own judgment, and you believed Dexter wouldn't do anything reckless. "But there are always u
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 98
Two hours later, Julian hurriedly touched down in Brindley.It had rained at noon, and the explosion site was a complete mess. Over a hundred rescue workers were busy carrying out their tasks, along with ten rescue dogs, but the strong scent in the air was affecting the dogs' sense of smell.As soon as Julian got out of the car, he saw Dexter handcuffed with silver cuffs. He was standing in a daze and was being escorted by someone."Dexter, you bastard!"Julian threw a punch. He hit with full force, and Dexter's mouth and nose immediately gushed blood, but he didn't retaliate. He took a step back, still staring blankly in the direction of the abandoned warehouse.Time was precious, and Julian didn't have the time to settle scores with him.He stepped into the mud, discussing the rescue plan with the head of the rescue team and arranging for an additional 80 rescue personnel and professional life detectors.The rain grew heavier, and Julian, not wearing a raincoat, was covered in
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 97
Julian was making a gamble. He bet that Dexter wouldn't dare to do anything too extreme.The two of them had played countless games of strategy against each other, and Julian had never lost. But this time, he lost to something unexpected.Julian shot a glance at Esther.Esther froze for a moment, then quickly understood. She immediately arranged for a rescue operation for Willow.Julian steadied his tone and spoke calmly to Dexter. "I will not abandon the signing. Dexter, release Willow now, and I won't pursue this matter. But if you insist on this foolishness, let me make one thing clear—I only see Willow as a tool in my power struggle. You know this, Dexter."In the Zieglers, there has never been love. I don't love her, so don't think you can use her to threaten me."On the other end of the call, Dexter let out a cold laugh. "As expected of Julian! Truly ruthless."Julian paused for a moment. He knew Dexter had softened, so he ended the call decisively. He planned to finish th
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 96
At the end of the month, on the eve of the contract signing between Nebula and Aurelia, a grand banquet was held at Skyview Hotel in Yarrowmere, attended by the senior and mid-level executives of both corporations.Julian wore a classic black-and-white suit, standing tall and elegant. He was the object of admiration for many women.However, he wore his wedding ring and maintained a distant demeanor, so no one dared to slip him a room key.Timothy approached him with Heather for a conversation. Upon seeing the admiration in the eyes of many women, Timothy joked, "Julian, next time you should bring Mrs. Ziegler along. These hungry gazes look like they might just devour you."Julian smiled faintly. "Timothy, you're exaggerating."Timothy patted Heather's hand, signaling that he had something private to discuss. She smiled politely and walked away to mingle.Once she left, Timothy spoke solemnly to Julian. "Don't take Jeffrey's actions to heart. It's normal for young people to someti
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 95
Willow bought 20 of the painter's completed works and wrote him a check for 30 instead, which made him very satisfied.Willow smiled faintly.After the artist left, she turned to Annie, who looked puzzled. "I know you're wondering why I paid such a low price. It's because I don't want money to wear away his artistic spirit too soon. Among this generation of young artists, I think he has the most potential—even more than Charlie back in the day."When the time is right, I'll introduce him to the world, and by then, his paintings will be worth a fortune. Even the smallest ones will sell for at least a million dollars."Annie had always trusted Willow's judgment.After finishing their business, they left the club and said their goodbyes in the parking lot.Willow had just opened her car door when a familiar, mocking voice rang out behind her. "Got back together with my cousin?"Willow turned her head to look at Dexter and replied coldly, "What does that have to do with you?"Dexte
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 94
Julian could sense the gaze from behind him. He said softly, "When I was in my 20s, I lived abroad alone for a while. I learned back then."Willow didn't ask any further. Their relationship was ambiguous right now. Just because they had been intimate once didn't mean anything.She had no intention of opening up to him. Besides, she was tired and didn't want to argue with him.The pasta Julian made was quite good, and Willow ate most of it.Then, she asked him to leave.As he left, Julian gazed at her deeply. "I'll come again tomorrow."Willow thought he was joking. Julian ran a corporation with 20 thousand employees—he didn't have that much free time.But the next day, when she returned from the gallery, her apartment was brightly lit, filled with the aroma of Wisteran cuisine and red wine.That bottle of red wine was one of Willow's cherished collectibles, something she couldn't bear to drink. And now, it was sitting there on the dining table.Willow slowly closed the door an
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 93
At 10:00 pm, Willow had just taken a shower. She changed into a silk bathrobe, feeling loose and relaxed.She sat in front of the dressing table, applying her skincare products.Suddenly, a subtle noise came from the door. It was the sound of a key turning in the lock.Willow was about to walk to the living room to check it out when the uninvited guest had already let himself in.It was none other than Julian.Willow sat back on the chair in front of the dressing table and observed him through the mirror.He had some snow on his shoulders and his hair was dark and shiny. It was obvious that he had been standing in the snow for some time.Willow asked softly, "Where did you get the key?"Julian placed the key on the dressing table in front of her, saying matter-of-factly, "I made a copy."Willow sneered, "You're really impolite."Julian stepped behind her and put his hands on the back of the chair. He looked deeply at her through the mirror, as if he was trying to see straight
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 92
That afternoon, Willow's name shot to the top of the trending topics."Nebula Group CEO's wife is infertile!""Julian Ziegler's Stands by His Wife: A Love Stronger Than Gold."Along with the headlines was a blurry photograph, presumably taken last night when Julian was holding Willow.Within moments, the topic surged to the top of the trending list.Nebula Group's PR team acted swiftly, spending money to have it taken down.But in just half an hour, the discussion reached an astonishing 78 million views, with over 40 thousand reposts.Thousands of women online envied Willow's good fortune for having a husband who loved her deeply.Willow found it ironic.She was in a bad mood, so she left the gallery earlier than planned. She drove her white Rolls-Royce Spectre aimlessly around the streets before parking in the plaza outside an amusement park.She sat on the hood of the car and stared at the Ferris wheel that was turning slowly.At 4:00 pm, snowflakes began to fall.The air
